The Preacher as a Theologian

On Saturday I spoke at Bethlehem, Sandfields, on "The Preacher as a Theologian" and "Preaching our Theology."

Someone sent me the following comment about the first address.

I heard a story a little while ago of two people visiting a cemetery and one noticing that the headstone on a particular grave had the words "Preacher and theologian" on it. This led him to say to his companion "There must be two people buried in this grave".

As soon as we speak of God, or speak to him, we disclose our thoughts about who he is and how we relate to him. When we stand before a group of people and speak of God we are engaged in a theological task. Who is this God? How may we know him? What is the connection between our words about him and the reality of who he is? By what authority may we speak of and about him?

Preacher as a theologian? It's a no brainer.

My outline for the talk, much of which was drawn from the pastoral epistles, was as follows (I may put the meat on these bones in some future posts):

1. We must pursue the goal of doxology

2. We must resolve to live with integrity

3. We must maintain a commitment to orthodoxy

4. We must guard against the entrance of heresy